The Drive Magazine // Issue 149 // Spring

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DRIVE The

PAUL ST-PIERRE ................................................ Publisher

DAVE HUNTER Vice President, sales

BREANNE MCGINTY Sales

MEL MONCZAK Sales

GREG EDWARDS .................................... Graphic designer

SABINE MAIN......................................... Creative director

MARNIE ROBILLARD Director of design

CONTRIBUTORS

LAYAN BARAKAT Writer

TREVOR BOOTH Photographer

JEN BRIGNALL-STRONG Writer

MONA ELKADRI .......................................... Stylist/writer

BRENT GROH ............................................. Photographer

SYX LANGEMANN Photographer

DEVAN MIGHTON Writer

DEVON PASTORIUS Photographer

MICHAEL PICCIONI ................................................ Writer

MAXIMUS REID ........................................... Photographer

MATTHEW ST. AMAND Writer

ANNA STANLEY Copy editor

On the cover: Paul Germanese: Putting The “Real” in “Real Estate.”

By Matthew St. Amand Photos by Syx Langemann Follow and like us: Twitter @thedrivemag

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CONTENTS

ISSUE 149

14

INNER-VIEW

Beautiful Alopecia. How an Autoimmune Condition Connected Two Souls.

50

CHARITY

Fantastic Fathers Are Making Father’s Day Fun Again.

THE DRIVE THRU

18 Rebirth of Cool. F&B Restaurant Reopens in Walkerville’s Hippest Basement.

PORTRAIT

20 Paul Germanese: Putting The “Real” in “Real Estate.”

MUSIC

30 Justin Hayward: Just a Singer (In a Rock & Roll Band.)

AROUND TOWN

36 Unique News from Around Windsor and Essex County

COMMUNITY

46 Garry Rossi: Excited About the Future of Enwin.

ART

54 Todd Lindsay is a Master of his Craft.

DYI

58 Maximize Your Curb Appeal.

LOCAL TALENT

64 Peter Raffoul: An Old Soul with a New Voice.

MONEY

68 Golden Opportunity. Why Investing in Gold and Silver Shines Bright Amid Economical Turmoil.

BETTER LIVING

70 Back to the Basics. The Rise of Additional Dwelling units in Response to Housing Shortages.

A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Summer is finally here, and that means patio season is in full swing! I can already picture your social calendar getting jam-packed with exciting things to do in Windsor and Essex County.

From exploring our stunning wine country and checking out local craft breweries to enjoying delicious patio lunches at your go-to restaurants and soaking up the vibrant atmosphere of summertime festivals, this season is all about making the most of our incredible region.

The DRIVE Magazine is all about showcasing the amazing people, places, and things that make this area so special. If you’re looking for a scenic waterfront experience, you won’t want to miss our feature on Windsor Premier Cruises. They offer an unforgettable sunset cruise along the Detroit River that will take your breath away.

And if you’re a foodie at heart, get ready for a culinary adventure at the recently reopened F&B Restaurant in Walkerville. Our latest DRIVE THRU feature will guide you through their mouth-watering menu.

In this issue, we had the honour of sitting down for an exclusive interview with Justin Hayward, the legendary voice and frontman of The Moody Blues. It’s a conversation you won’t want to miss. We’re also excited to share an inspiring and touching story about Maeve and Marcy, two beautiful souls who connected through their journey with Alopecia. Their friendship is truly heartwarming.

We want to take a moment to express our heartfelt thanks to all our readers and valued advertisers for your incredible support. We’re also thrilled by the fantastic response to our newest publications, W.O.W (Women of Windsor) Magazine and W.E. Manufacturing. Your enthusiasm means the world to us.

So, sit back, relax, and enjoy this issue of The DRIVE Magazine. It’s packed with stories and features that will make your summer even more memorable.  Thank you,

Paul St. Pierre Publisher

• We are an authorized dealer with the Royal Canadian Mint.

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Beautiful

ALOPECIA

How an autoimmune condition that sometimes leaves people feeling isolated turned out to be the basis for uniting two kindred souls.

By Matthew St. Amand

British author Christopher Hitchens once said about parenthood: “[I]t’s a solid lesson in the limitations of self to realize that your heart is running around inside someone else’s body.”

There is nothing we wouldn’t do for our children. So, two years ago, when Maeve Sooley’s hair began to fall out, alarm bells sounded within her parents, Melissa and Justin Sooley. Maeve was four years old.

Photos by Maximus Reid

“As a parent the worst things come to mind,” Melissa says.

Maeve was diagnosed with alopecia, an autoimmune condition that presents in a few different ways: alopecia areata, which is characterized by patchy hair loss on the scalp; alopecia totalis, when the entire scalp experiences hair loss; and alopecia universalis, which is complete hair loss.

Maeve’s parents decided to keep her in different activities that she enjoyed, such as gymnastics and dance.

“So, she wouldn’t always be with the same group that was comfortable seeing her,” Melissa continues.

Last year, Maeve and her parents talked about getting her a wig. A friend of Melissa’s who works at Continental Hair in Sarnia told her: “You need to start following this young lady on Instagram.”

That young lady is Marcy Gallant, a student at Western University, who has a dedicated Instagram account, @theartofalopecia, that documents her life with alopecia. Melissa decided to message her directly to see if Marcy would be interested in meeting Maeve.

Marcy replied that she would.

“We met her last October,” Melissa says. “We drove to London where we went shopping and had dinner. We met Marcy a second time so that Maeve’s older brother, Mack, and my husband could meet her. We live in Amherstburg and she is in London, so it’s not an easy commute.”

Although we live in a time where diversity among people has never been more accepted, it’s still not easy for people who live with visible conditions to go about their lives without stares and, sometimes, unwanted comments.

“People are bold,” Melissa says, “whether they know you or not. People have paid for our meals at restaurants thinking that Maeve is a cancer patient. We encourage people to ask questions, but what is offensive is when they just assume. When they come up and say: ‘Oh, is she in treatment?’ and then I have to explain to my young daughter what that means.”

At the time she lost her hair, Maeve attended a private Montessori school. When it came time to move to Junior Kindergarten, she asked to attend the grade school her older brother, Mack, attends. That summer, her hair grew

back in patches. Mack was fond of having designs, like spiderwebs, shaved into his hair at haircuts and Maeve asked if she could, too. When asked what design she wanted, Maeve said: “Hearts.”

The new school meant a whole new group of kids. Maeve and her parents received permission to talk to the class about her alopecia. Maeve and her mom read books to the class: “Where’s Your Hair, Hannah?” and “My Hair Went on Vacation”.

“Maeve brought her hair pieces and wigs,” Melissa explains. “She let the kids touch the wig, and we answered questions about her condition.” She laughs, remembering: “It was the most hilarious thing—when I said: ‘OK, well,

Maeve will start losing her hair…’ kids suddenly talked about how their dads and grandfathers were bald. One boy stood up and showed the class a birthmark on his torso.

Marcy Gallant’s experience with alopecia was both similar and different from Maeve’s.

“I was about six years old when my hair fell out for the first time,” Marcy recalls. “Our family doctor referred me to a dermatologist, who diagnosed me with alopecia.”

Unsure how best to help their daughter, Marcy’s parents thought the solution to the problem was getting Marcy’s hair back.

“So, they advocated on my behalf for trying new treatments,” Marcy says. “There

are so many medications. Steroid creams and injections are most popular among alopecia. I started when I was eight years old.”

When she was thirteen, Marcy was treated with Methotrexate, which she later learned was a chemotherapy treatment.

“An aunt who had cancer was on the same medication,” Marcy says. “That scared the heck out of me!” Later in life, Marcy came to suffer heart problems and has a neurological condition in the leg where the drug had been injected. “I’m unsure if there is affiliation with that treatment,” she says, “but I have to wonder.”

It was this early experience with the medical system that led Marcy to do a double major

in Disabilities Studies and Child and Youth Studies. Her goal is to become a Child Life Specialist and advocate for children’s rights in the medical system.

Her alopecia did not affect her socially in the first years. She had long hair, which covered up the patches of hair loss. That changed at age ten. Until then, she had special permission to wear a hat at school—and then came the Friday where all her hair fell out.

“My mom and I panicked and went to buy my first wig,” Marcy says. “I arrived at school on Monday and people were confused why I had so little hair the week before and now had a lot of hair. Anyone who looked closely

saw I was wearing a wig, and that’s when the bullying started.”

Grades five and six were tough years.

“I had an idea I should educate people about alopecia,” Marcy says, and much like Maeve did at her school, Marcy did a presentation in front of the whole grade six class.

“I told them how it felt when people spoke about something I couldn’t help,” she says. “Then I took off my wig and everyone got to see me… There were lots of tears and apologies.”

Marcy enjoyed a reprieve until she started middle school the following year, which was grades seven to twelve.

“The high school kids were a bigger issue,” she says. “I didn’t feel safe. In the halls, people tried ripping my wig off. The principal suggested I address the entire school body at an assembly.”

That meant speaking in front of more than a thousand students. Easier said than done.

“I did it,” Marcy says. “That was one of the biggest achievements of my life.”

Marcy vividly remembers the day Melissa first contacted her.

“She sent me a cute little ballet picture of Maeve,” Marcy says. “When we made a connection, just over social media, and arranged to meet in person… I saw Maeve and I just saw me. We had an instant connection. It was pure magic. I will protect her at all costs.”

For her own part, Maeve says about Marcy: “She’s kind. She’s funny,” and that she likes messaging Marcy on Fridays and weekends when she isn’t in school.

“You can have empathy, but you can never truly understand what it’s like to live with alopecia,” Melissa says. “That’s what Marcy brings. One of the first times we met, she said to Maeve: ‘You can call me any time. If you’re having a bad day and need to talk about it, you can call me.’ Just Maeve knowing that’s an option, someone who can relate to what’s she’s going through, has given me and my husband such reassurance.”

For more information about living with alopecia, visit the Canadian Alopecia Areata Foundation at canaaf.org, and view Marcy Gallant’s account at @theartofalopecia on Instagram.

You can have empathy, but you can never truly understand what it’s like to live with alopecia.

To say the return of F&B Restaurant was highly anticipated is an understatement.

When rumblings of a reopening were first confirmed in December 2022, co-owner chef Rosemary Woods says they were instantly inundated with messages from people eager to be amid the first to dine at the popular Walkerville restaurant since they closed their doors in early 2020.

“Once we announced it on our social media, reservations filled up immediately,” she recalls. In fact, reservations were booked solid for a month straight after their January 7th opening night.

Woods’ business partner chef John Alvarez says while he knew the restaurant was missed by many, he was blown away by the response they received.

“I was overwhelmed by the first waves of customers,” he says. “Seeing customers from

REBIRTH OF THE COOL

F&B restaurant reopens in Walkerville’s hippest basement.

By Jen Brignall-Strong

before who had so many memories with us; from first dates to now celebrating their wedding anniversaries. It was an amazing feeling.”

After closing the restaurant prior to the pandemic, the pair never actually planned on reopening, but received so many inquiries over the years they decided to give it another go.

“We had patrons all the time say, ‘I miss F&B! It was my favourite,’” shares Alvarez. “As things started to come back around after COVID restrictions were lifted, we decided to see how it would fare in this market.”

Located in the basement unit of a historic Walkerville building, F&B originally opened their doors in 2015 as an intimate dining experience featuring impeccable service, sharable small plates, and hand crafted cocktails. Never sticking to one particular type of cuisine, the restaurant became known for its unique take on global fare.

It was the brainchild of Alvarez and then business partner Tom Scully, with Scully running the bar and Alvarez leading back of house. As the business grew, the pair hired more staff; eventually bringing on Woods, who left her career as an architect to hone her culinary skills alongside Alvarez in the kitchen.

“The original idea behind F&B was that I got to cook what I wanted,” laughs Alvarez. “I wanted to make food that I would enjoy eating on my day off and couldn’t find anywhere in the city.”

That same ‘cook what you love’ culinary innovation continues with F&B version 2.0. While there are a few mainstays from the past (Brussels sprouts; if you know you know,) the rest of the menu changes seasonally, with a focus on creating distinctive dishes using fresh, local ingredients.

“We draw inspiration from a lot of things but it’s really just letting our chefs take full advantage of their creativity and running with something,” says Woods.

The idea of small plates and sharable items is to create an adventurous dining experience that’s fun and not intimidating, explains Woods.

“We want people to come with their friends and maybe try a few things outside their comfort zone,” she says. “Someone could order something at your table and you try it and say, ‘Wow, I would have never gotten this on my own but I really enjoy it.”

After a triumphant return this winter, the team is eagerly looking ahead to the future, recently launching their new spring menu, which features several new seafood options, as well as lamb, bone marrow, a tomahawk pork chop with spiced crust and eggplant harissa, and a decadent Parisienne gnocchi carbonara.

“We also have our vegan charred artichoke with a pesto we make in house,” she says. “We don’t really have a particular theme for our spring offerings, just lighter, fresh dishes that are a bit brighter for the season.”

There are also several new additions to the wine and cocktail menu, like the Edible Bees Knees; a plated, gelatin cocktail that’s ultra Instagrammable, and the Cod Sucker; a rum drink delivered to your table set ablaze.

“That great thing about this iteration as well is that we’ve hooked up with an amazing wine rep and sommelier who has been bringing us some very unique wines that you can’t find anywhere else in this region,” adds Woods. “She’s worked with us on our menus and really exposed us to new offerings.”

Woods says the relationship will also allow them to offer some unique pairing and tasting events in the coming months. They’re also beginning to host private parties and corporate functions during weeknights.

“This restaurant has evolved so much already since reopening,” reflects Alvarez, “I’m looking forward to watching it continue to grow and seeing what we can do next.”

PAUL GERMANESE: PUTTING THE ‘REAL’ IN ‘REAL ESTATE’

By Matthew St. Amand Photo by Syx Langemann

The Monday morning realtor Paul Germanese, founder of AW4U The Real Estate Group, sat down to talk with The Drive Magazine, he started the day doing what he has built a career and life doing: being of service to someone else. Paul could have been schmoozing in a warm, aromatic café or walking through a luxury home with clients. Instead, he was out in the rain, at a property, not only meeting a junk removal guy, but helping him lug stuff out of the house.

“I come from a place of service,” Paul says.

With sixteen years in the business, as a top seller with Royal LePage, year after year, this is not something Paul has to do to sell homes. It’s something he wants to do.

“The biggest compliment I receive, and hear it time and time again,” Paul continues, “is: ‘You haven’t changed!’ And my reaction is: ‘Why would I?’ I mean, you change in some certain respects, but your core values and who you are, and the cloth that you’re cut from never changes.”

Paul’s work ethic, his ideas of success, and the place of service he comes from were established early. At the age of fifteen, a self-confessed “skater kid”, Paul worked in the kitchen of Windsor’s venerable TBQ’s Other Place on Dougall Avenue, where he made bread baskets and filled butter ramekins.

“I worked my way up to doing brunches and buffets, and started bussing tables,” Paul recalls. “From there I went to Spago, and that’s part of my real estate story because it was there that I met the Monteleone brothers, and their father, Joe.”

A Windsor realtor finds his bliss serving others and understands that success is not owned, it is rented.

It was genuinely that Zen moment of “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”

Joe owned a real estate brokerage and one day said to Paul: “Why don’t you think about getting your real estate license?”

“And I did,” Paul says. “Struggled… and then figured out how to do it my way after a year or two.”

This is where the tidiness of stories could neatly sidestep the inherently human complexity of a guy in his twenties making the significant leap from one career into another. But Paul is about keeping it real and is candid in describing how he navigated the new terrain. This was in and around the years 2007/ ’08/’09—not a great time for real estate in the city of Windsor.

“A great asset I had was that I liked people,” Paul recalls. “Everybody gets into real estate for their own reasons. Whether they are right or wrong is to be determined as time goes on. But if you come from a place of service and you lead with your heart and you’re actually grateful for every single client, you’ll have a long-lasting career.”

“I spent a few years trying to figure out real estate. Just enjoying my twenties,” Paul says. “I was at St. Clair College at the time and still working in the restaurant. Then I started to get some business. First year, I did one or two deals, but made sure the clients were very well taken care of. The next year did five or six deals.”

In year three of his real estate career, Paul was paired with Mike Coffin.

“That’s when I saw what a busy agent looked like,” Paul recalls. “To this day we have a fantastic relationship. Soon after, I quit everything else and gave real estate one hundred percent.”

It was a time of transition for Paul. He married his wife, Trisha, in 2009, in an effort to achieve his ultimate goal in life: to have a family. Today, he and Trish have three kids: Sienna, ten, Joseph “Joe Joe”, eight, named after Paul’s father, and Vincent, five years of age.

“During the building years,” Paul explains, “probably nine to twelve years ago, when I was building the book of business, it was nine-tonine every day. By choice. I could be sitting on the couch at home in the evening and get an offer and have to run out and get some signatures. You hit a point, though, when you have kids and everything changes.”

Something Paul has learned about himself over the years is that he operates very well when surrounded by mayhem.

“I prefer it around me,” he says. “When I’m in the midst of the hurricane, I can find the eye, the calm, and I can step into that, and I can be good, I can be present. As long as I know I have the opportunity to get right back into it.”

When he is with his family, that’s the eye of the hurricane. When he attends one of his kids’ hockey tournaments, that’s the reprieve. It’s part of the cloth he is cut from.

Part of Paul’s learning process was realizing that real estate is not about sales, it is about building relationships.

“I remember looking at houses with a FOR SALE sign out front and thinking: ‘How am I going to sell this?’” he says. “It’s creating relationships and finding somebody who may need that property for that price.”

Frank Binder eventually absorbed Joe Monteleone’s company, and Paul along with it.

“My dad worked at a car dealership, at one time, and he missed one of my Christmas concerts,” Paul remembers. “He quit the next day. He made sure that never happened again.”

Paul is quick to say how much he learned from his parents, Joe and Maria Germanese. Both instilled a powerful work ethic in him— through example.

“I do business like my father did business,” Paul continues. “He was a

advisor,

financial

Everybody gets into real estate for their own reasons. Whether they are right or wrong is to be determined as time goes on. But if you come from a place of service and you lead with your heart and you’re actually grateful for every single client, you’ll have a long-lasting career.

and my mom had the very serious job of staying home taking care of three boys.”

Paul still remembers the day his real estate career began to gel.

“I attended an offer presentation and landed the offer for my client,” he says. “From there, I went to a listing appointment and got the listing. It was a tough time in real estate, in 2008/2009, and I thought to myself: ‘If I can make it in this environment, I can make it anywhere.”

He continues: “Going home in my Nan’s Dodge Neon, I called my dad and said: ‘I’m doing it! It’s happening!’”

It was only through the strength of character Paul learned from his parents, and through the strength of his own family that he weathered the next challenge life placed in his path: In August 2011, Paul’s mother, Maria, passed away. Seven months later, his father, Joe, passed away.

In a Facebook post ten years later, Paul wrote, in part, remembering his parents: “My parents never met my children nor will they, but my children know exactly who they are and what they had meant to me… I will continue to be who I am to make them proud, and I will continue to set the same examples that they set for me with my children…” For this reason, Paul’s favourite movie is Coco, which he says reminds him to keep talking about the ones who are no longer with us. That is what keeps their spirit alive.

To honour his parents, Paul ran a charity golf tournament for ten years, which raised money for Transition to Betterness (T2B), which played a comforting role at the end of his parents’ lives. Interestingly enough, Paul’s father Joe was among the first donors to T2B when the organization began.

“My parents are a huge part of my story,” Paul says. “I’ve been approached at many events

over the years and people have said to me: ‘I knew your parents. I miss your mom and dad.’ They have no idea what that does for me. I aspire to that.”

Paul lives in multiple timelines. It’s all part of the mayhem, all part of existing within a hurricane of activity and finding the eye.

“I have two teams: my crew here and my crew at home,” he says. “They do intertwine quite a bit. I wear two different hats here: team lead and agent. I’m proud to be an agent for AW4U. What we built with the operations team and the people we have around us is very special. These agents have a space to build their business. You won’t see my picture on someone else’s sign. We support the agents’ own careers and build them up as much as the brand.”

Each member of the AW4U team brings their own special superpowers: Christopher Toldo, Scott Innocente, Chantel Wasyluk,

Katrina Wasyluk, Dan Marar, Khodr Habib, Luis Mendez, Rebecka Collison. And their efforts are supported by Andrea Bate, Operations Manager, and Eric Davidson, Creative Director, Anthony Nassar, Marketing Coordinator, and Shauna Hughes, Office Administrator.

“One of our big differentiators is having the media person inhouse. That was big for us,” Paul says. “We were among the first to bring a professional photographer to a house to get pictures, not just using the camera on our iPhones. And then, working with David Burman at Mister Style, staging homes.”

The AW4U office is another differentiator. At a glance, one could be forgiven for mistaking it for the headquarters of a cutting-edge media company—multiple rooms are equipped with lighting and cameras for the ongoing social media videos AW4U posts, particularly “Another Real Estate Podcast.”

The walls of Paul’s office are plastered with familiar logos ranging from Big-V, the NHL, the Los Angeles Lakers, Tim Hortons, and many others—except, there is something different about them. After doing a double take, one notices that the letters “AW4U” has been seamlessly integrated into each. It enhances the vibe that this outfit does things differently, it knows what it’s about.

“A boutique team needs to have its own office space. I wanted an office where people couldn’t wait to show up on Monday morning,” Paul explains.

Beyond the videos and social media posts, beyond the cool décor of the office, beyond the half court professional basketball standard out the back, AW4U remains steadfast to its core value: Always Working For You—the client.

“By the time they call us, I want people to feel like they know us,” Paul says. He also explains there is no such thing as a difficult client. “I like a challenge,” he says. “I don’t care if it’s a $60,000 listing or $6 million. I’m going to earn your business. To learn more about AW4U visit aw4u.ca.

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JUSTIN HAYWARD: JUST A SINGER (IN A ROCK & ROLL BAND)

For more than 50 years, Hayward continues to thrill fans with his ageless music.

By Matthew St. Amand

Alper

Singer Justin Hayward is known the world over as, “the voice of the Moody Blues.”

With a career that spans more than five decades, writing worldwide hits, performing at Bill Graham’s Filmore East in 1968, the Isle of Wight Festival of 1970, the Los Angeles Forum, 1974, the Royal Albert Hall, 2000—and thousands of other memorable appearances—Justin is once again on tour.

Asked what motivates him to go on the road and perform—being long past the point of needing to tour to pay the rent—Justin says: “I do need to… just for my own peace of mind. What the audience brings to these songs is something quite remarkable. We can do them perfectly in a sound check, and that’s lovely, but when the audience comes into the room, something happens—there is a magic that they bring to these songs through their own experience. I never want to give that up. And, you know, I never had a proper job.”

Photos courtesy of Eric

Regarding the surprises Justin’s show has for long-time Moody Blues fans: “Probably what I leave out,” he says with a laugh. “No, there are a few things I couldn’t go off stage without playing, but I think the fact that [the audience] may be surprised I include the other players on stage. It’s not just about me, it’s about them, the way they love this music, too.” He continues: “I am privileged to be with three other great musicians. Julie Ragins who was with the Moodys. She has the voice of an angel and knows all my double-tracked parts that I did on the records, all of the important parts from the Moodys’ stuff. And then Mike Dawes who is worth the price of admission just to see him play. Young, brilliant guitar player, I’ve never seen anything like that. And Karmen Gould, the flute player from heaven, really,” Justin chuckles. “Those people have their places. In the end, it’s about the songs and how they stand and the feeling they create in the room.”

How did Justin decide his tour would pass through cities in Ontario—including Windsor—and American cities, such as Waterloo, New York and Easton, Pennsylvania.

“I am offered a lot of stuff, and sometimes I just say yes,” Justin says. “I was surprised because I didn’t think the Moodys had that much success in that part of Canada, and I’m probably letting myself in for a fall, right now, by doing it. But I thought: ‘I’m going to give it a go.’ I spoke to Mike Dawes about it, and he was like: ‘Yeah, let’s do it! Let’s take a chance!’”

With such an illustrious career, does Justin ever sit back and marvel at it all?

“No…” he says, drawing the word out, thinking. “No…”

Justin speaks of the experience of remastering classic Moody Blues albums: “A few years ago we remastered a lot of the Moodys’ work, including the four-track of Days of Future Past, and I found myself thinking: ‘How did we do that?’ We did it because we didn’t really think about it, just steamed straight into it. I wouldn’t say it’s regret, but that also brings up: ‘Oh, if only I’d have just thought about it a little bit more instead of having to do it tomorrow morning! I might have done it differently.’ But it is what it is…”

Regarding the astonishing breadth and variety of music Justin has written— “Fly Me High”, “Nights In White Satin”, “Tues -

day Afternoon”, “In Your Wildest Dreams”, “Living For Love”—what is his method for plucking these songs out of the ether?

“Things like ‘Question’, they just jump out of guitars, sometimes,” Justin says. “I still love the old DX7 [guitar], and these sounds and these songs just jump out of them.”

He continues: “There was always something in knowing that I had to play [my song] to the other guys the next morning and think of a part for them quickly, so not to waste anyone’s time. My style—and Mike Pinder when he was with the group—was to complete everything before I went in. I was aware that I was playing it to other people, and they had to be happy, as well. In the very early days, the sound of the Decca studio was involved, in that big, sort of empty, echoey sound with the flute and the guitar and a basic track—drums, guitar and bass—and the overdubs on top.”

Justin remains good-humoured and gracious and seems pleased that his voice is more readily recognized than his name or his face.

“We were blessed with an identity when we played together,” he says of the Moody Blues, “and I’m lucky enough to have a voice where… well, people never know who I am, or anything, but it’s like: ‘Hey, it’s that Moody Blues guy!’ That’s the way life is for me—‘It’s that guy!’”

Justin’s humility understates his stature in the hearts of his fans. He continues to tour and continues recording. His latest song “Living For Love” is quickly becoming a favourite with his record company and among his fans. Justin has journeyed a long and storied road through the rarified heights of the music world. He is not finished yet. Learn more about what Justin is up to by visiting him online at justinhayward.com.

JACKIE LASSALINE GETS SH*T DONE

Lassaline

By Matthew St. Amand

Jackie Lassaline can see into the future. She does not use this skill to divine winning lottery numbers or to predict natural calamities. Jackie can look at a property or building and know how it would look in its final, realized, or refurbished form. She also knows what it takes to get it there. Rehabbing an old building or renovating a structure for “adaptive reuse” takes more than money. There is a gauntlet of bureaucracy awaiting all souls who venture into this territory. To the uninitiated, the process and rules and regulations and red tape look like needless obstacles, but in fairness, the codes and permits and zoning rules exist for concrete reasons. Rather than wither from the challenge, call Jackie of Lassaline Planning Consultants (LPC). She has a map to this territory.

“When you get down to the bare bones of what I do,” says Jackie, MCIP RPP, owner/operator of LPC. “A land use planner is

Text here

Photo by Trevor Booth

Planning Consultants is the one-stop shop for planning consultation.

That comes from 37 years of experience.

Jackie grew up in Chatham and attended high school at Albert College. Following graduation, she attended Trent University where she earned a degree in Urban Geography and attended Sir Sandford Fleming College for Geographic Information Systems. She worked as a planner for the County of Peterborough for eight years before working in a similar capacity in the Town of Cobourg for ten years. Jackie received a call one day from the Township of the Archipelago, saying: “We’re looking for a Chief Planner. We want you to come for an interview.” She did.

In the pleasant weather, it was a dream come true, out in the township boat on Georgian Bay, on official business, doing site inspections among the 30,000 islands from Moon River to French River.

“Unfortunately, it snows about ten months of the year up there,” Jackie recalls.

When Amherstburg had an open manager position, Jackie returned to fill that role.

“Eight years ago, I went out on my own as a consultant and opened LPC,” she explains. “I love it. I’ve got great clients. My work runs the gamut of all municipal applications and approvals. I get calls about weird and quirky things, making my days exciting. I know the Planning Act, the Heritage Act, and the Municipal Act. I understand there is a process no matter what you are doing, whether it’s building a new apartment building, building a new store, adapting an existing building to a restaurant, putting in a new septic system or what you need to get a building permit for an ADU [accessory dwelling unit] in your back yard.”

Jackie’s particular areas of expertise are land use planning and heritage planning.

When an iconic, existing building previously known as the House of Shalom was purchased, Jackie was brought in to undertake a heritage assessment, a land use analysis, and a planning justification report to provide a professional opinion about the adaptive re-use of the 114-year-old building.

“Another time, I received a call from the Windsor Islamic Association, which owns residential lots across from their mosque,” Jackie says. “They wanted to do something for their seniors. I managed the files through all the approvals and now they have five six-unit buildings, rental apartments, designed and equipped for seniors associated with the mosque. This way, the senior residents create their own community while being close to the people who care about them and can look after them.”

It’s a win-win situation, and Jackie likes win-win situations.

“I am helping the community by providing this kind of alternative housing,” she says.

With all the building occurring in Essex County, Jackie’s vision and bureaucratic navigational skills are in demand. She loves a challenge and knows how to obtain the approvals her clients need.

To learn more about how Jackie can get the job done for you, visit Lassaline Planning Consultants online at lassalineplan.ca.

TOWN

Welcome to our custom content page meant to highlight unique news from the Windsor-Essex region

Walking into Pure Fruit Cafe on Cabana Road in South Windsor the music and decor transport you to the magic and chic style of Paris. The French flair combines with elegant Lebanese desserts and handcrafted coffee and teas that pair with artisanal fruit dishes. Owner Manal Hage opened the cafe during the pandemic and now, into its second year, it is thriving. Its success comes from Hage’s style and passion developed over a 20-year background in aesthetics. Her vision, she says, is a gift that allows her to create unique food and drinks and provide first class service. Her services include elegant in-store dining and exceptional catering. She delivers the highest quality of food and presentation, always taking care of small details to create outstanding experiences. Birthdays, showers, baptisms, girls’ night out, corporate events and home parties receive Hage’s personal touch. Tables filled with her signature desserts makes any party memorable. Pure Fruit Café is located at 350 Cabana Road East and can be reached at 519-965-0891.

The Cabinet Studio recently celebrated its 28th anniversary of providing quality, craftsmanship, and innovative kitchens in Windsor, Essex-County and beyond. Owners Leigh Ann and Tereza Hello are leaders in the kitchen industry, offering non-toxic wood kitchen cabinets and a revolutionary colourful aluminum cabinetry line, perfect for indoor and outdoor kitchens. The Cabinet Studio cares about its clients and our community, supporting various local charitable initiatives such as Crohn’s and Colitis Canada and 100 Women Who Care to name a few. As founding members of the grassroots group YQGgreen, they are proud to promote sustainable practices. The Cabinet Studio’s focus has always been on creating functional and beautiful kitchens, and their new sleek aluminum line pushes the boundaries of what is possible for your Home. So here’s to 28 years of excellence, and many more to come. Call Leigh Ann & Tereza to get started on Your Kitchen Goals today!  519-919-5058 or online at TheCabinetStudio.ca

Lidija Hristovska, is the proud owner of Lide Shoes & Accessories. Her store is located at 14306 Tecumseh Rd E Tecumseh, Ontario (same plaza as Naked Cup). Lide Shoes sells luxury 100% leather flats, sandals & heels, purses, unique jewelry pieces, and other accessories from global imports carefully handpicked by Lidjia herself. She also offers a range of beautiful, imported women’s clothing. Lidija brings unique quality fashion pieces to Windsor, but also makes sure there is something for everyone. She would like people to wear her pieces to express themselves in a comfortable and fashionable sense.

Howell's Marine, located at 875 Richmond Street in Chatham, ON, is your one-stop shop for all your boating needs. They offer a wide selection of new and used boats, motors, and accessories to choose from. Whether you are looking for a fishing boat to take out on the lake, or a cruiser to explore the open seas, they have a variety of boats to suit your lifestyle. Their service department is staffed by an experienced and knowledgeable team that can help you with any repair needs you may have. In addition to their sales and service, they also provide a great selection of parts and accessories for your boat. They keep the shelves stocked with the latest and greatest products from leading manufacturers, so you can trust that you are getting the best quality parts. Finally, the friendly and knowledgeable staff at Howell's Marine are committed to providing excellent customer service. They do everything they can to make sure you find the perfect parts, accessories, or boat for your needs. They may be reached at 519-3609202 or online at howellsmarine.com

Dr. Abby Jakob is thrilled to announce Kingsville and surrounding area’s premier destination for dry eye and medical aesthetics, BRIGHT! Located at 30 Main Street East in Kingsville, BRIGHT offers innovative, scientifically proven treatments that allow clients to feel good and discover their most polished selves. Their medical grade devices and products, plus attentive service set them apart. Book an appointment today by calling 519-733-3766 and receive best-in-class dry eye and medical aesthetics treatments in a gorgeous, inviting, Instagram-worthy space.

Mr. Concrete, established in 2019 is celebrating five years in Business. Owner Leo Munisteri and his team have made quite the name for themselves. With their attention to detail, forward planning and passion for perfection, the outcome is always exactly what the customer envisioned, and often even better than expected. Leo began his concrete journey at a young age helping his father with side jobs. As a young impressionable man, Leo learned to respect the work, and all the responsibilities that come with it. Laying concrete is physically demanding, it’s an art, and a science. That combined with the uncontrollable environmental and the unpredictable nature, makes concrete laying challenging but Leo sees it as fun. Check out Mr. Concrete on Instagram & Call Leo for a quote today 519-999-5326.

Welcome to Charming Sally - the ultimate luxury golf brand for women. Founded in 2021 by Lauren McReynolds and Tanis Jacques. More than just a golf apparel company – they are a lifestyle movement that inspires women to play their best game with style, and grace, while creating opportunities to connect genuinely with others. Their mission is simple: to empower women on the course by providing meticulously designed golf apparel that is both stylish and functional. They believe that every woman deserves to feel confident and beautiful while playing the game she loves. Each collection is made from premium, sustainable materials and designed with a keen eye for detail, making every piece feel like a work of art. From the perfect golf dress to the most darling tulip-sleeve polo shirt, their collection will help you feel elevated, feminine, and ready to take on the course - and the clubhouse. Visit their website and follow them on social media for the latest updates, fashion tips, and stories of women who play the game their way. Visit them online at charmingsally.com.

BUILDING DREAMS WITH FAMILY VALUES

Redefining homebuilding standards: EverJonge Homes' legacy of excellence and innovative designs.

By Layan Barakat

Photo by Syx Langemann

EverJonge Homes has a rich history and a strong commitment to providing exceptional residential construction services. The company’s founders, Allana and Ron Everitt were inspired to start EverJonge Homes by their family’s long-standing involvement in the homebuilding industry.

“Building homes is in our blood and has been a part of our family since Grandpa Abe moved here from the Netherlands,” said Allana.

Growing up, their family was immersed in homebuilding, frequently visiting construction sites and discussing concepts and ideas around the dinner table. This inspired their sons to take on different positions within the industry. After pursuing their respective fields of study, the brothers recognized the importance of coming together and joining the family business. So, they brought their unique personalities and educational backgrounds to the industry, envisioning EverJonge Homes as a company that would address the evolving housing needs of the future.

“We strive to bring new features from around the world and those that typically might only be available in multi-million dollar homes into each of our designs,” said Allana. “We want each home to be a great place for people to live and a great investment that will help build wealth for the new homeowners.” By doing so, EverJonge Homes create beautiful living spaces and ensure that each home becomes a valuable investment for its owners.

Building a home with EverJonge Homes is tailored to each homeowner’s unique needs and preferences. The company takes the time to understand its client’s goals, whether they are retirees looking to downsize, growing families, or ambitious investors. “Our customer care team walks the new homeowner through the selections of their home, providing guidance and insight into considerations these new homeowners may want to think about while at the same time trying to be conscious of the budget to make

sure they are making a wise investment,” said Allana.

The company maintains a long-term relationship with its clients even after the closing. Follow-up meetings are scheduled at different times to address any questions or concerns, ensuring everything runs smoothly and up to the company’s high-quality standards. They take pride in being available to homeowners beyond the seven-year warranty period, as they understand that needs and lifestyles may change over time. “To us, it is a long-term relationship, and we want to be here with the client every step of the process,” said Allana.

“Our extensive selections and customer process ensure that we are addressing the concerns of each of our homeowners, even ones they may not have realized they had,” said Allana.

To stay updated with the latest trends and innovations in the construction industry, EverJonge Homes actively seeks inspiration from various sources. They attend conferences, explore markets worldwide, and conduct extensive research. Close collaboration with suppliers and tradespeople lets them stay informed about emerging trends and cutting-edge products.

EverJonge Homes is a shining example of a family company that has built a successful business and created a legacy of excellence in the community. From exceptional customer service to innovative design and sustainable practices, EverJonge Homes continues redefining homebuilding standards.

“EverJonge Homes is an exceptional builder, together we continue to deliver new and exciting homes to our customers” said Mary Morrison, Real Estate Broker for Jump Realty Inc. “We all want our home to be functional with quality workmanship and quality fixtures, EverJonge Homes provides just that. I love delivering their homes with the collaborative approach we have created whilst working together.”

The team’s backgrounds and experiences have played a crucial role in the success of EverJonge Homes. Each brother brings a unique perspective and expertise to the table. Nait’s education and experience in operations, customer care, construction, and warranty provide a solid foundation for the company. Sawyer’s expertise lies in project design and land acquisition, enabling EverJonge Homes to have in-house design capabilities. Finally, Brode’s economics and computer science background ensures that the company stays ahead of industry trends, focusing on financial and technological advancements.

Mary’s journey with EverJonge Homes spans almost a decade, with Hayley Morrison joining in back in 2017. Together they are thankful for the continued opportunity of assisting with a consultative approach, assisting where needed with design suggestions and then creatively marketing these homes.

Building a strong family is central to EverJonge’s core and is something that Morrison believes wholeheartedly, “Ron and Alanna give, and when I say give, I mean beyond just their immediate family, but also to their staff, their trades people, their community and ultimately their customers.” To learn more please visit everjongehomes.com.

We strive to bring new features from around the world and those that typically might only be available in multi-million dollar homes into each of our designs,” said Allana. “We want each home to be a great place for people to live and a great investment that will help build wealth for the new homeowners.

BASKING IN THE BEAUTY OF THE DETROIT RIVER

A local cruise company offers a variety of packages for people to enjoy one of our greatest natural resources.

By Matthew St. Amand

Photos by Trevor Booth-

One of this region’s most important natural assets is its waterfront. Windsor Premier Cruises offers a wide variety of cruises, times, dates, themes, for people of all ages to enjoy the singular beauty of the Detroit River waterway. Tami and Paul Mancini purchased Windsor Premier Cruises in 2021, and this is their second full season. Paul is not only part-owner/operator, he is also captain of the Macassa Bay, having held a captain’s license for more than 25 years.

the same with either service. We also offer vegan options.”

Beer, wine, and catering are locally sourced, and so is the entertainment. The Macassa Bay features various area DJs.

“Friday nights are the dinner cruises, but if large groups want to book Saturday evening for a dinner cruise, we can accommodate them,” Tami says. “We have acoustic musicians on Fridays and DJs come in on Saturday nights. The dance floor is open both evenings.”

The summer schedule has cruises departing on Fridays from 7 to 10 p.m., open to all ages. Saturday cruises are from 8 to 11 p.m. and are reserved for people 19 years of age and older.

The hallmark of Windsor Premier Cruises is flexibility.

Windsor Premier Cruises also offers day trips to Amherstburg. These usually leave around 10:30 a.m. Once docked at the King’s Navy Yard Park, passengers disembark and have approximately two and a half hours in Amherstburg to shop, sightsee, or eat. While that happens, the Macassa Bay takes other passengers for a two-hour tour around Boblo Island.

“All two-hour cruises are lightly commentated,” Tami adds. “On the Boblo cruise, we point out historical facts and landmarks with information provided by Tourism Windsor-Essex Pelee Island and the Town of Amherstburg.”

Passengers can expect to return to Windsor between 6:30 and 7 p.m.

With restrictions on gatherings lifted, they are pulling out all the stops.

“We do all kinds of cruises,” Tami says. “The 80s- and 90s-themed cruises are always fun—we’ll bring in an 80s hair band. Cinco de Mayo fell on a Friday this year, so we are doing a Cinco de Mayo-themed cruise. We have had quite a good response for this event!”

For those curious about the progress of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, bridge tours are offered on select Sundays.

Food is available on all cruises. The boat menu offers something for everyone, ranging from gourmet roasted hotdogs to the famous Macassa Picnic and charcuterie, which serves up to four people and comes with a bottle of wine.

“We now offer two service styles for our dinner cruises, deck or dining room,” Tami explains. “With deck service, passengers enjoy a more casual evening, and are nearer to the entertainment. Seating is available on the upper outside deck or on the stern deck. All three courses are served where they sit, in takeout containers. Passengers go to the bar for all of their beverages.”

Tami continues: “Dining room service is for guests who want a formal dining experience. All courses are plated. You have a server for all your beverages. It’s highly recommended for large groups. St. Clair College is our caterer for dinner cruises. Both meals are

“Private charter is the way to go if you want the whole boat to yourself,” Tami says. “Quite a few groups book with us each year. You have the option of bringing your own food, though no outside beverages or alcohol are allowed on any cruise. We see a lot of bachelorette parties, birthday parties. Groups also have the option for a semiprivate cruise by drawing a curtain at their section. That way, they don’t have to pay for a charter, but get to enjoy semi-privacy. We see a lot of people doing this with weddings and special events.”

Comments left on Windsor Premier Cruises’ website tell the story of how much passengers enjoy themselves, seeing Windsor-Detroit from the water—a perspective from which many Windsorites have probably never seen the city.

“We do see some amazing sunsets on the cruises!” Tami says.

To learn more about Windsor Premier Cruises, or to book a cruise, see images of past cruises, or check the upcoming themed cruises, visit windsorpremiercruises.com.

We do see some amazing sunsets on the cruises!

GARRY ROSSI: EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF ENWIN

By Matthew St. Amand

It would almost seem too much to ask that the Chief Executive Officer of a major utility be environmentally conscious, versed in the latest technologies for providing clean drinking water and clean electricity, and has roots in the community he serves. Essex County has all of these, and more, in ENWIN Utilities CEO Garry Rossi, who stepped up to the top spot in January of this year.

Born and raised in east Windsor, Garry attended Catholic Central high school and the University of Windsor where he majored in Environmental Engineering.

“My fourth-year project was on the difference between ozone and chlorine treatment,” Garry recalls. “It was Dr. Saad Jasim’s project, bringing ozone treatment to the A.H. Weeks Water Treatment Plant on Wyandotte Street.”

Garry was involved in the co-op program at the university, where he was placed at Ford Motor Company, who ultimately hired him at Ford Windsor Casting Plant.”

“I worked at Ford for twelve years of my career,” he continues. “It was there I had my first experience with water treatment as I

was fortunate to be a part of an innovative group that implemented ozone for the Casting plant’s wastewater treatment.”

He goes on: “Our team won a quality Q1 award, so that was something I am very proud of. A delegation was brought through the Ford plant, subsequently, and in 2000, the ozone treatment process was implemented for Windsor’s municipal water.”

Garry quickly adds: “I had an extremely small part in all that, but it felt good that something I worked on in my fourth-year project at the university translated into my work at Ford, and then into my work here.”

Further recognition of their work came in the form of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment award in 1999.

Around 2007, Garry left Ford and went to work at Veolia Environmental Services in Chatham.

“They were building a new waste transfer station and wastewater treatment facility,” he explains. “I worked there for a couple of years and then the Director for Water Production role opened up at ENWIN. Since water treat-

ment was always a passion of mine, I knew I had to apply for the position.”

He continues: “I was happy to inherit a state-of-the-art treatment technology because we had ozone,” he says. “We’re still one of the few utilities in the province to have it. It’s the one technology that helps us with many of the emerging contaminants that have been coming our way, such as blue-green algae.”

A press release from the Windsor Mayor’s office states: “[Garry] has led his team in providing safe reliable drinking water to the residents of Windsor, Tecumseh and Lasalle garnering ten years of a 100 percent inspection score through the Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks measurement system.”

On the electricity side, Garry notes: “Many people may not realize that over ninety percent of Ontario’s electricity is from zero-emissions sources. There is, however, that last ten percent.”

ENWIN is involved in several interesting projects. One is the Security of Water Supply Project with the Union Water Supply System

Photo by Trevor Booth

As one of the Top 10 largest utilities in Ontario, ENWIN believes in leading by example.

and Windsor Utilities Commission (WUC). This is intended to help avert the effects of emergency events, such as chemical spills, blue-green algae, damage to intakes, cyber-attacks, or major unforeseen facility damage. Through a shared reservoir system, WUC and Union will be able to support one another in the event of an emergency. This will be ongoing over the next five to ten years.

ENWIN is also working on installing a nearly one-megawatt solar roof onto their 4545 Rhodes Drive location. This project began last year, and installation is on track to occur this year.

Another project ENWIN is undertaking, in collaboration with St. Clair College and Automobility Enterprises, is converting a gas-powered F150 pick-up truck from an internal combustion engine to an all-electric drive train. This involves removing the 3.5-litre gas engine and replacing it with eight massive batteries. ENWIN intends to put the vehicle to day-to-day use as it will be the organization’s first fully electric fleet vehicle.

“We’ve also had the self-healing grid project,” Garry says. “It’s a new ring we’re building in the city that will help re-route power in the event of a power outage. It helps with redundancy and adds resiliency to our infrastructure, as well as improving response times when customers do experience outages.” With this new system, outages that previously affected thousands may only affect a few hundred.

“With decarbonization and electrification, customers moving from gas-fired heating/cooling to electrical, we are ready to bolster the distribution system to aid in this transition,” Garry says. “Looking forward to our future and the changes in our industry. It’s exciting.”

We’re still one of the few utilities in the province to have ozone. It’s the one technology that helps us with many of the emerging contaminants that have been coming our way, such as blue-green algae.

FANTASTIC FATHERS ARE MAKING FATHER’S DAY FUN

Family Father’s Day fifth annual event takes place on June 17th at St. Clair College Sportsplex.

By Devan Mighton

Photos by Trevor Booth

Father’s Day should be about fun, right?

In 2014, Steve Moore entered the world of fatherhood. With the birth of a beautiful baby girl, Alyssa, his enthusiasm was piqued. He wanted to be a good dad, an involved dad, and partake in activities that gave them that permanent father-daughter bond.

“I was a very active dad and very involved,” recalls Brown. “I was taking her all over the place to all the events and everything that was around that the city offered. It took about two years, but I noticed that there weren’t a lot of things that catered to dads.”

Looking for something fun to do on Father’s Day, Brown soon discovered that his options seemed to be brunch or nothing. That’s when he came up with the idea to create a Father’s Day event. He soon recruited his good friend, new father, and partner, Seth “Hootie” Perera, and the pair launch their organization, Fantastic Fathers, and hosted their first event – Family Father’s Day.

The duo booked Windsor’s Unifor Local 195 hall on Central Ave. set up a fun day of activity. They hoped that they’d get 500 people to show up. Lo and behold, the word spread like wildfire and about 2,000 people arrived at their doors.

“We were shocked, we were ecstatic, but we were also kind of panicking a bit because we had to go and buy more supplies from stores three or four times throughout the day,” chuckles Brown. “It was a very successful event, but what it did was open our eyes and make us see that there’s a community need for events for [not just fathers, but families.]”

Essentially, Fantastic Fathers started as a Facebook page, a place for Brown and Perera to network with other fathers to plan group get-togethers and day trips. However, it has become a movement.

The following year, in response to the public interest and enthusiasm, Fantastic Fathers booked three of the pads at the WFCU Centre, conducted a very successful search for sponsors, and filled all three rinks with attractions for the whole family. In the end, around 4,000 people took part in the festivities.

“We’re not a single dads thing, we’re not a dads-only thing, it’s a parent thing and our top goal is for parents to spend as much time with their kids as possible,” explains Brown. “We create events or piggyback on other events to provide more opportunities for parents to spend that quality time with their kids— strengthening that parent-child bond.”

Today, Fantastic Fathers is a fully registered non-profit organization which aims to specifically tailor family-bond building events for parents and their kids, to provide educational opportunities for parents to increase

their knowledge and parental abilities and promote fully-involved parenting with an emphasis on father participation.

On Saturday, June 17, from 11am-5pm, Fantastic Fathers will be hosting their fifth annual Family Father’s Day, presented by LiUNA!625. The event will take place at the state-of-the-art St. Clair College Sportsplex and will feature RedLine Inflatables, a Border City Wrestling show, aerialists and gymnastics performers, Funky Faces face painting, Windsor’s Darkside Star Wars Cosplay, Magician Ron Gudel, members of the Windsor Spitfires, Windsor Costume Kings, and so much more.

“I think this is going to be the biggest one, not only because it’s our fifth annual event, but I think it’s because we haven’t really done it for two years, because of COVID,” says Perera. “Every one of our other events that we’ve done, since back from COVID, has almost doubled in numbers from the last time that we did it. So, I really think that there’s a need ... I think people are just hungry to do stuff, because we didn’t for a year and a half or two years.”

Outside of their Father’s Day event, Fantastic Fathers also put on a series of smaller events in 2022, like their Easter Egg-stravaganza, a family riverboat cruise, bowling, Halloween carving, also their “With Dad” events, which featured a salon day, craft making, and learning how to cook.

“We feel that engaging with your kids builds better communities, rather than not,” state Perera. “There’s enough tablets, video games, and iPhones that the kids play with on their own. We feel it’s important that events like these, and other events we do, help you be one-on-one and lets you be with your kids.”

As a non-for-profit, Fantastic Fathers also engages with various philanthropic efforts. They have set up a scholarship fund with St. Clair College and donated to their new stadium, are now an official sponsor of Adopt-A-Vet and are a part of their holiday campaign and are partners with Harmony in Action. They also actively participate in a variety of fundraisers, including Jeff Burrow’s 24-Hour Drumathon, LiUNA!625’s Champions for Hunger, The S’Aints Holiday Sleighing Hunger Drive, the W.E. Care for Kids Golf Tournament, the Heart & Stroke Golf Tournament, the Hospice Face-to-Face Campaign, Champions for Change, Sparky’s Toy Drive, and Noah’s House.

Brown adds that all these great events and the donations wouldn’t be possible without the help of their generous sponsors.

“We have some of the best sponsors out there,” says Brown. “Year after year, we’ve had almost 100 per cent retention of our sponsors, which I think is amazing. I think it speaks volumes to their commitment to the community—but it also shows their belief and trust in us—which we love and are so humbled by. From day one, LiUNA!625 has been the title sponsor for everything we do. We also have the Cooperators Insurance Group, St. Clair Alumni Association, Quinn Roofing, and M&M Food Market. These are people that have literally stuck by us from day one and their support doesn’t waver—and we’ve just continued to add great sponsors over the years.”

For more information on Fantastic Fathers and their special events, please visit their Facebook page.

Award Winning Award Winning

"VOTED BEST BOUTIQUE SHOP

"VOTED BEST BOUTIQUE SHOP IN WINDSOR/ESSEX" IN WINDSOR/ESSEX"

TODD LINDSAY IS A MASTER OF HIS CRAFT

Local furniture designer and woodworking artist reflects on his career.

By Devan Mighton

Photo by Trevor Booth

Wood—the flesh and bone of a tree. There’s something poetic about holding a well-crafted carving in your hands. Whether rough, rugged, and untamed, or smooth, polished, and elegant, this marrow of the tree tells a story through its ancient ringed patterns and eternal beauty.

To master woodworking is to harness and understand the beauty of nature. To appreciate woodworking is to sense the deeper meanings of the artist’s thoughts, feelings, and fears.

For Todd Lindsay, and his custom furniture-building company, Todd Lindsay Designs, the act of creation was a discovery of purpose—a form of expression found in an unfamiliar discipline that would soon become a love and an obsession.

“I started over 30 years ago,” says Lindsay. “I was going to university, and I got a job with an older guy who was a craftsman. He was doing some doors and was showing me some techniques. I never took a shop class in high school or anything—didn’t do anything like that. I learned all the techniques and practised them, and I took off from there.”

The proliferation of Lindsay’s woodworking was a thing of chance. His natural skill, combined with his eye for detail, led to opportunities to build.

“I would build the odd thing, then I ended up getting tied in with a couple designers in Chicago and they told me to start building dining tables,” recalls Lindsay. “There’s a high-end store in Chicago and they would buy everything I would make.”

Skill led to success. Success led to recognition. Soon celebrities like talk show host Oprah Winfrey, interior designer Nate Berkus, and former Toronto Maple Leafs hockey star Doug Gilmour were ordering custom pieces directly from Lindsay.

“Most of the stuff now is mostly custom done—it kind of blew up,” states Lindsay. “The internet is a funny thing. Now I do furniture across the US—from LA to New York and Europe and Canada.”

A lot of this was thanks to his progression from designing furniture to full-on wood art. As his art progressed, his standards, his desire to create, and his demands upon himself evolved.

“After I started learning a lot of the joinery techniques and stuff like that, I really got into more of the design,” recalls Lindsay. “I think people that are woodworkers or whatever, they have their own design of what they think looks good. I think I have a certain style about what I do. I only make things that are my style and I love to do because you put yourself into these projects—these big pieces of furniture. It’s not going to turn out that well if I don’t really feel it—I have to be inspired by the design or I just won’t build it. I just won’t make it. I just turn it away.”

anything like it. You go to one problem and solve it and then you take the next step— it’s like a staircase—you go up one stair, you solve that problem. There’s always an issue with any project that you’re going to have to continually solve problems with.”

Much like his furniture, he is constantly creating little vanity projects that he later donates to good causes. These often circle around sports and music memorabilia.

“Every couple weeks, I try to make something—not only the furniture—but I’ll do a lot of sports or music art pieces and donate them to local golf tournaments or galas, or whatever event people are having,” says Lindsay. “They need raffle prizes or live auction prizes, and I can always throw unique twists on those to raise a lot of money in our community.”

Lindsay feels that there are clear distinctions between woodworking tradesmen and craftsmen—and the difference comes down to the woodworker’s hands, their head, and what’s in their heart.

“Some people ask me the difference between the trades and craftsmen,” he explains. “The difference, I always say, is that if you work with your hands, you’re a tradesman, and if you work with your hands and your head, you’re a craftsman—but if you work with your hands and your head and your heart and what you feel, you put those all together, you’re a master craftsman and you’re pretty much working with your soul.”

Lindsay adds that he has developed a feel for troubleshooting woodworking designs over the years. He says that a lot of problems tend to crop up when designing and building.

“Not everything works out as you draw it on paper,” he states. “You have to design it a certain way for it to work out and look good. That’s a lot of what woodworking is and

Lately, Lindsay has been putting together pieces for Ed Jovanovski’s annual charity golf tournament. The event, which takes place on Friday, July 7 at Pointe West Golf Course in Amherstburg, raises money for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. He has already put together a piece that was autographed by Edmonton Oilers’ superstar Connor McDavid but is currently finishing a piece honouring the 2002 Canadian men’s Olympic ice hockey team that will be autographed by game-winning goal scorer Joe Sakic and Jovanovski, who assisted on the goal.

“They’re all different, they’re all a challenge to design, but it’s fun,” explains Lindsay. “It’s kind of like when I build furniture—it’s like I’m on a vacation and I’m getting a massage—it’s not work at all. Most people might sit down and watch TV, but me, I’ll put some music on and create something cool.”

Lindsay says that becoming a master craftsman requires time, patience, and persistence.

“Just take it step by step. It’s a long road,” he cautions. “You’re going to get better and better as you go. It takes time, so just have fun with it and build something that you’d like to build—and if you fail at it, just start over and try again.”

It’s kind of like when I build furniture—it’s like I’m on a vacation and I’m getting a massage—it’s not work at all. Most people might sit down and watch TV, but me, I’ll put some music on and create something cool.

MAXIMIZE YOUR CURB APPEAL

By Layan Barakat

Maximizing your curb appeal is essential to impress potential buyers and visitors or to create your personal sanctuary. The exterior of your home is the first thing people see, which can significantly impact their impression of your property. Fortunately, you can add beauty and value to your home with simple DIY projects to help create a beautiful and sustainable landscape on a budget. We had the chance to catch up with Liana Desmarais, co-owner of Plantscape, and Heather Horton, Senior Designer for the Landscape Effects Group, to put together some budget-friendly tips to help you make the garden of your dreams without breaking the bank:

Plan Your Landscape Design

Before you start landscaping projects, planning out your design is essential. First, consider the style you want to achieve, whether modern, traditional, or something in between. Next, consider the layout of your property and the natural features, such as slopes or trees, that you want to highlight. Finally, decide on the types of plants, flowers, and trees you wish to use, and choose suitable materials for paths, patios, and other hardscaping features.

“The first mistake that’s probably most common is not realizing how big your plants will get in a year or two, so the project looks great when it’s first installed, but what they don’t realize is that particular plant can grow to be about 8 feet tall, then you have to manage that through the years as it grows - there’s just not enough space,” said Liana “It can be avoided through some simple research.”

Shop at Local Nurseries

Buying plants and flowers from local nurseries can be a great way to save money; plus, you can be confident that the plants you purchase are well-suited to the local climate and growing conditions.

“Many local nurseries/big box stores offer great pricing on perennials and shrubs. If you are patient, you can get smaller specimens and watch them grow,” said Heather

DIY Hardscaping

Hardscaping refers to the non-living elements of your landscaping, such as paths,

walls, and patios. You can save money by doing some projects, such as laying a stone path or building a small retaining wall. “Realize the space that you have, add a splash of colour to your patio furniture, you can put your personal spin on things – try themed pillows and accessories,” said Liana.

Consider Perennials

Perennial plants come back year after year, so you don’t have to purchase new plants every season. They also tend to require less maintenance than annuals, saving you time and money in the long run. In addition, perennials can provide year-round habitat for wildlife, including birds, insects, and small mammals. They can also provide shelter during extreme weather conditions.

“Incorporating a variety of shrubs and perennials that attract wildlife is always a good idea. Also, remember that leaving your grasses to brown off in the winter months instead of cutting them down is a good idea to provide wildlife with shelter from the cold,” said Heather.

Consider DIY Irrigation

A DIY irrigation system can help you save water and ensure your plants get moisture. You can create a simple drip irrigation system using a soaker hose, PVC pipe, or even old soda bottles.

“Remember that most shrubs/trees/ perennials don’t like a lot of water anyway,” said Heather, “Most people over-water their plants. If you have an irrigation system, have

a water sensor installed. This will prevent the system from turning on when it is raining. Irrigation systems, in general, are a great way to monitor your watering. Monitor your irrigation practices to prevent over-watering. Remember: turf grass requires more water than the items in the planting beds.”

Consider Using Stone Instead of Mulch

Stone and mulch are popular materials for landscaping and gardening, but they have different sustainable benefits. Stone is a durable material that can last for years, reducing the need for replacement and thus reducing waste; it also requires very little maintenance, reducing the amount of water, fertilizer, and other resources needed to maintain it.

“Mulch needs to be topped up and turned over basically annually, and the break-even point is in the 3-4 year range - so if you install mulch today and have to top it up every year, you break even at the 4-year point versus having a stone that’s just denser - it doesn’t blow away in the wind. So at that 4-year point, you still haven’t had to top it up,” said Liana

Incorporating DIY landscaping projects into your home this summer can be a great way to add beauty and value to your property. Whether you’re looking to spruce up your front yard or backyard or create a new outdoor living space, many landscaping ideas can transform your home into a stunning oasis. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!

PETER RAFFOUL: AN OLD SOUL WITH A NEW VOICE

From tinkering with songs as a kid in a backyard shed to performing in multi-city American tours, this Leamington native is carving out his own space in the music world.

By Matthew St. Amand

If “Raffoul” doesn’t translate into the word “voice” in Lebanese, it should. Peter Raffoul, his brother Billy and father, Jody, were each gifted with singing voices that would raise the eyebrows of the late, great Otis Redding—and any number of people who haven’t yet gone on to the great Rock Revue in the sky.

When the Nashville-based singer/songwriter, realized that a career in music was his destiny, he was at once confident and conflicted about it.

“It would be easy to think: ‘He’s just doing it because his dad and brother do it,’” Peter says, seated outside his Nashville home. It is noon, but he clutches a gas station coffee like it’s six a.m. Musicians exist within their own time zones. That said, Peter is clear-eyed, articulate, and thoughtful.

Photos by Brent Groh

“ I always knew I loved music,” he continues. “I don’t know what made it click. I was on the outside looking in, inspired by a number of things: hip hop records, stuff that was so current… people expressing themselves, it just made me think: ‘That’s something I could do.’”

Peter is in the rare and unenviable position of having not one, but two eighthundred-pound gorillas in the room when speaking about his career in music: his father, Jody Raffoul, and his brother, Billy Raffoul, both successful working singer/ songwriters in their own right.

By the time he sat down with The Drive Magazine in May, Peter had nothing left to prove. In July of last year, he released a six-track EP titled Songs from House in Blue. Not only has he completed multiple successful tours in support of that record, but he also continues releasing music: “Thought You Should Know” and “Missing You” among his most recent work.

Like all great inventors, Peter’s first experiments took place in a shed.

“I was hiding out in a shed behind my childhood house, trying to write these songs,” he remembers. “I had a piano, a little keyboard, and knew that if I had three or four chords down, I could make that stuff my own.”

When asked about writing his first song, Peter takes a beat before answering:

“I was eighteen or nineteen years old when I wrote my first song,” he says. “I was not confident enough to release it, so it stayed in demo format.”

He continues: “I was picky about what I would call my first song. I’m hesitant to call something a full song, to actually finish it… Back when I started writing, I didn’t have the skill to get it.”

Although Peter sings with a voice crafted by the gods, he was not quick to share it with the world. When asked if he remembers the first time he sang in front of people, he laughs and shakes his head indicating that he remembers it very well. Everything with him is an interesting, intricate story. Leave all assumptions at the door.

“I wanted to make as much progress with my music as I could before someone caught me at it,” he says. “We have Billy, and

we have Jody, and I didn’t want to get caught in the act when I wasn’t ready.

“One night, my dad was playing a gig in Leamington. His side of the family—which is huge—made up most of the crowd. It was one of those nights, drinking, watching him call other people on stage, calling Billy up, I thought: ‘Maybe tonight’s the night.’”

As Jody started playing another song, Peter went onstage, stepping up to the mic next to him.

“He looked over and I thought: ‘Now I’ve done it! No taking it back!’ The next day I woke up and thought: ‘You have to get to work even more than you were before.’”

The music in “Bad For Me” is minimalist perfection. In a live performance, he plays the keyboard with one hand while holding his microphone with the other.

So, how did this Leamington-born kid end up in song writing mecca, Nashville, Tennessee?

“A record label took an interest in my music,” Peter explains. “I was really young and raw, and they liked what they heard, but it was such a small amount. Someone at the label said: ‘What about coming to Nashville and getting more experience writing songs… working on the foundations of being an artist?’”

That was five years ago, and the change of scenery seems to have been beneficial to Peter. He has just returned from a tour with musician Joe P.—Peter’s third tour this year.

“We started in the second week of April and went three weeks,” he says. “It was such a great tour. It began in Washington DC and finished in Brooklyn…” He pauses to think and says: “… yesterday.”

He sips his Time Zone coffee.

Asked the inevitable unfair question “What’s next?” Peter says:

The result of that work is a growing catalogue of songs that resonate with listeners. Comments under some of his videos on YouTube—a platform notorious for judgments that reach depths of caustic vitriol that are virtually Shakespearean— listeners cheer Peter on.

Many comments reference Peter’s lyrics and there is no reason to wonder why. Peter is a great writer. His lyrics are oddly and interestingly specific. In his song “Thought You Should Know” a line repeats: “I crashed my car / In the parking lot / Of the high school…” From there the narrational voice lists a number of specifics an unnamed someone else should know.

The same occurs in his song “Bad For Me.” The lyrics at once trace vivid strokes, but are universal enough for anyone to relate to them: “I’ve been doing things that are bad for me / I’ve been going places I shouldn’t be / I’ve been getting high, staying numb for weeks…”

“It’s a moving target. You get to the place you were hoping to get to, and then there is a new spot where you want to be. If someone showed me, at eighteen, what I’m doing right now, I’d be over the moon. I am grateful, but also always looking for the next challenge. For me, right now, the goal is to headline tours—that the people in the room have come for the songs I’ve created. I don’t even care about the size of the room.”

He says: “There is a ton of music out there and the goal is to get more people to hear me. I’m super grateful for the people who have heard my music and left positive comments. I’ll see an Instagram message or a TikTok comment, and I never take it for granted. Someone will say how important that song was to them. I’ve felt that way about other people’s music, myself, as a fan, but to see someone saying that about my stuff—it blows my mind.”

Listen to some of Peter’s latest songs, or stay on top of his touring schedule, by visiting him online at peterraffoul.com.

I was hiding out in a shed behind my childhood house, trying to write these songs. I had a piano, a little keyboard, and knew that if I had three or four chords down, I could make that stuff my own.

Perfect Vision, Personal Care.

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Rana Eye Care has the most cutting edge technology including, Tempsure Radiofrequency and IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) along with a vast selection of frames and contacts to meet all your eye care needs.

Dr. Rana and her team can’t wait to SEE you.

Golden

OPPORTUNITY

Why investing in gold and silver shines bright amid economic turmoil.

By Michael Piccioni

We are currently living in historic times due to economic uncertainty and geopolitical turmoil. Residual effects of Covid 19, bank failures in the US, War in Ukraine, countries leaving the US dollar for trade, and inflation at 40-year highs are all topics that keep us up at night. What will happen to our dollar? Our investments? Our money in our banks? How can we protect ourselves and our family wealth from what is to come with all the current uncertainty in the world today?

In times like these, investors often turn to precious metals such as gold and silver as a haven to protect their wealth. Recent events have highlighted the importance of investing in precious metals as a hedge against these risks.

First, let’s take a look at the recent bank failures. In recent years, there have been several high-profile bank failures around the world, from the Lehman Brothers collapse in 2008 to the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. These events have shown that even large, seemingly stable financial institutions can fail, leaving investors with significant losses. Precious metals, on the other hand, are not subject to the same risks as paper assets such as stocks and bonds. As a physical asset, gold and silver hold their value and cannot be wiped out by a bank failure.

Next, let’s consider the issue of high inflation. Inflation has been on the rise in many countries around the world, with some countries experiencing the highest levels of inflation in decades. Inflation erodes the value of paper currencies, making it harder for investors to maintain their wealth. However, gold and silver have historically been a good hedge against inflation. When inflation rises, the value of gold and silver tend to increase, making them a good way to protect against inflation.

Countries moving away from the US dollar is also a cause for concern. The US dollar has long been the dominant currency for international trade and has been viewed as a safe haven for investors. However, in recent years, several countries, including China and Russia, have been moving away from the US dollar and diversifying their reserves into other currencies and assets such as gold. This trend could potentially weaken the US dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency, leading to further economic uncertainty

and potentially higher inflation. In this scenario, gold and silver could once again prove to be a safe haven for investors.

Finally, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has also highlighted the importance of investing in precious metals. Geopolitical risks can have a significant impact on financial markets, causing volatility and potentially leading to losses for investors. Precious metals, however, are not subject to the same risks as paper assets and can provide a buffer during times of geopolitical uncertainty.

Overall, the above factors show why investing in precious metals can be crucial in today’s economic climate. There are several reasons why investors may choose to invest in gold and silver:

Portfolio diversification: Investing in gold and silver can provide a level of diversification for an investment portfolio, reducing overall risk and improving returns. Precious metals have a low correlation with other asset classes, meaning their prices often move independently of stocks and bonds.

Store of value: Gold and silver have been recognized as a store of value for thousands of years. Unlike paper currencies, which governments or central banks can devalue, precious metals cannot be printed or created at will, giving them inherent stability and value.

Currency hedging: Countries moving away from the US dollar could lead to further currency fluctuations and uncertainties. Investing in gold and silver can act as a hedge against these currency risks, providing protection against potential losses due to exchange rate fluctuations.

Liquidity: Gold and silver are highly liquid assets that can be easily bought and sold on global markets. This allows investors to quickly convert their holdings into cash if needed, providing financial flexibility that may not be available with other investments.

Tangible asset: Precious metals are tangible assets that can be held physically, providing a sense of security and ownership that may not be present with paper assets such as stocks or bonds.

The current economic landscape presents numerous challenges for investors, making it crucial to consider alternative investment options such as gold and silver. By investing in precious metals, people can protect their wealth from various risks, including bank failures, high inflation, currency fluctuations, and geopolitical uncertainty.

Additionally, gold and silver offer portfolio diversification, liquidity, and a tangible store of value, making these a valuable addition to any investment strategy. As we continue to navigate these historic times, investors need to remain proactive and explore all available options to safeguard their financial future.

CanAm Currency Exchange is a leading authorized dealer with the Royal Canadian Mint, offering the best prices in Canada guaranteed on a vast range of precious metals. With an extensive inventory that includes private and government-minted bars, coins, and rounds, CanAm takes pride in catering to the diverse needs of its clientele. Conveniently located on Dougall Ave, CanAm’s team of precious metals experts are always available for free in-person consultations, ensuring clients receive personalized guidance and advice to make informed decisions about their investments.

Photo by Devon Pastorius

BACK TO THE BASICS

The rise of additional dwelling units in response to housing shortages.

By Layan Barakat

Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs) are an increasingly popular solution to the housing shortage problem that has taken hold in many cities, including Windsor-Essex. An ADU is a self-contained living unit within an existing residential property; they provide a cost-effective and sustainable housing option to help alleviate the housing crisis that has become a hot topic among the YQG community and beyond.

“Great communities are more than roads, sewers, and high-rise buildings; great communities have a social conscience. So we have to speak up and try to set a direction for our housing development,” said Gail Stiffler, retired business owner and volunteer community advocate for affordable, attainable housing. “The path towards achieving housing affordability must be based on a human rights approach.”

ADUs increase housing availability in any community and provide a much-needed solution to the problem of housing affordability by creating additional living spaces within existing properties. In addition, homeowners can rent out their ADUs to tenants, providing a source of income while increasing the housing supply. This way, more people can find suitable and affordable housing options while existing homeowners can provide an additional income stream for themselves and their families.

“Tiny dwellings may have small footprints, but they have a monumental impact,” said Tannis Bence, co-founder of Newgrange Build, “At Newgrange Build, we feel that in a consumerism-oriented society, less is more, and we need to get back to the basics of human design. The ‘human aspect’ of housing is so important. It’s a luxury to have a detached

home, no matter the size, and a bonus if it’s one with a yard and personal space to grow.”

Utilizing their respective real estate and contracting skills, Tannis and her partner Michael created a company that builds modern, functional ADUs. “Michael built tiny homes for many years through an incredible company based in Vancouver, BC. We owned one of these homes and lived in it for a year before selling it and moving here,” said Tannis. ‘We have seen the impact of how this movement can break the barriers of homeownership for so many and can also work to provide a space for family members or even act as a mortgage helper.”

ADUs are a sustainable and cost-effective way of increasing the housing supply. Building new housing development requires significant resources, time, and money. ADUs, on the other hand, utilize existing structures, minimizing construction costs and reducing the carbon footprint associated with new developments.

“We’re in a situation where housing has become unaffordable for the average person to enter the market. So a lot of people are looking towards multigenerational options; for example, if you have an older child who wants to get out of the house but can’t afford to buy a home yet or an aging parent who you want to have close by, ADUs give you that proximity and that privacy. So there are a lot of benefits, and you can also do it in a way that doesn’t break the bank; a lot of detached ADUs typically rent below market, and that’s because the homeowner is just looking for a flexible space for their family members,” said Sarah Cipkar, Founder and co-lead researcher of ADU Search, a tool that allows homeowners, policymakers and

contractors to better understand zoning bylaws for tiny homes within municipalities across the province.

“In building the tool, we wanted to know how many backyards do we have that could house ADUs, from there we realized we were only solving one problem for the homeowner, which is “Is my lot suitable?” we actually want to help the homeowner a lot more so we’re pivoting to a new product called ADU Build, which will launch in the next six months to a year, we’re essentially going to be helping the homeowner through that development process and facilitating some of those connections to the external industry stakeholders,” said Sarah.

In addition to providing affordable housing options and income opportunities, ADUs can help build more diverse

Rendering by Dory Azar Architects

commu nities. By increasing housing availability, these dwellings have the potential to attract new residents to the Windsor-Essex community or provide affordable homes for existing residents. ADUs also help address the issue of aging in place, which is becoming increasingly crucial in aging populations. Seniors can live independently in their ADUs while being close to their families and support networks. These dwellings can be designed to be accessible, with features such as wheelchair ramps, grab bars, and wider doorways.

“One of the things that’s happened since Covid is we have learned to live a simpler lifestyle. We’re reminded of what’s important and learned we don’t need as much as we thought. We remembered that there’s no place like home, and I think we’ve also deepened our ties with our loved ones,” says Gail.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on aging communities, particularly when it comes to social isolation. Vulnerable communities took extra precautions through the pandemic to keep themselves and loved ones safe; unfortunately, while

these measures have helped to protect older adults, they have also increased their risk of social isolation and loneliness. ADUs allow our senior community to live independently while still being close to family or caregivers. This can be especially beneficial for those needing occasional assistance or monitoring but still want to maintain autonomy.

“Generally speaking, the housing market demand and price point are high, and inventory is low,” said Lyndsey Janke of Renew Home Solutions. “However, additional dwelling units certainly present an opportunity to those looking for independent living space while maintaining close proximity to family members. It also provides alternative accommodation potential for those looking to rent and is an excellent way for property owners to maximize the income generated through their investment properties.”

Renew Home Solutions offers fully custom ADU construction by modifying an existing interior dwelling space, adding on an addition, or building a separate dwelling unit.

“Most [customer] inquiries fall under one of two scenarios; 1) homeowners who require additional space for family members who would like independent separate living space (typically aging parents or children who have recently graduated from school and are returning home) or 2) individuals whom own rental/income properties and are looking to increase their properties income potential by adding an ADU,” said Lyndsey.

ADUs offer many benefits to homeowners, renters, and communities. They can provide an affordable housing option, generate rental income, increase property value, and help address the housing crisis. They also offer flexibility and versatility, allowing homeowners to use them as a home office, a guest house, or a multigenerational living space. Moreover, ADUs can promote sustainability and reduce carbon footprints by utilizing existing infrastructure and minimizing sprawl.

As we grapple with the housing affordability crisis, ADUs have emerged as a practical solution that can benefit everyone involved. Whether you’re a homeowner looking to generate extra income, a renter seeking affordable housing, or a policymaker working to address the housing crisis, ADUs are worth considering. With the right policies and incentives in place, ADUs can revolutionize how we think about housing and create more vibrant, sustainable, and inclusive communities.

“Through recent years, we’ve all been through a lot of change and isolation. We need to seriously consider a community-oriented way of living, and this movement most certainly supports that,” said Tannis.

Photo by Devon Pastorius

Rendering by Dory Azar Architects

CRAFTING MASTERPIECES

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Award-winning masterpiece.

Proud recipient of numerous Landscape Ontario Excellence Awards, with an additional 8 in 2022. Achieving the pinnacle of landscaping success.